McDonald’s Corporation Sued By Workers For Wage Theft

McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) and some of its franchise owners are facing lawsuits in the states of California, Michigan, and New York for allegedly underpaying its workers, according to report from the New York Times.

Allegations in Michigan

The workers of McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) filed the lawsuits and accused the company and its franchise owners of allegedly erasing work hours from their time cards, ordering them to work off the clock, and not paying their overtime.

In Michigan, two lawsuits were filed against McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) and two franchise owners in Detroit. Workers alleged that they were asked to report to work, but were ordered to wait for one hour or two until enough customers shows up. The workers said the hours they spent at the restaurant while waiting for customers were not paid.

In addition, the workers also complained that their wages were illegally reduced below the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour because of the requirement of McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) that they pay for their uniforms.

Sharnell Grandberry, one of the McDonald’s workers in Detroit and a plaintiff in the lawsuit filed against the company in Michigan said, “Our wages are already at rock bottom. It is time for McDonald’s to stop skirting the law to pad profits. We need to get paid for the hours we work.”

McDonald’s complaints in California

McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) and its franchise owners are confronting three charges in California. The workers complained that the company did not pay all their work hours including overtime. According to them, the company reduced their work hours from their time sheets and they were denied the required meal periods and rest breaks under the law.

Michael Rubin, the lawyer representing the workers said, “We’ve uncovered several unlawful schemes, but they all share a common purpose— to drive labor costs down by stealing wages from McDonald’s workers.”

McDonald’s lawsuit in New York

Some of the workers of McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) also filed a lawsuit in New York and alleged that the company did not reimburse the time and cost of cleaning their uniforms. They reiterated their position such expenses reduced their wages below the federal and state minimum wage.

“Because McDonald’s restaurants pay so little, forcing workers to clean their Golden Arches uniforms on their own dime drives many workers’ wages below the legal minimum,” according to Jim Reif, the lawyer for the McDonald’s workers in New York who filed the case.

The Service Employees International Union is pressing McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) and other large fast food chain operators to increase wages to $15 per hour. The organization is planning to conduct strikes this spring to push their demands. In 2012, the organization conducted a few one-day strikes in New York, and one-day strikes in 70 cities in December last year.